Not This Time
by JazziePerson
Summary: A one-shot follow up to the Series 8 finale. First Spooks fanfiction. Please review.


Author's Note: This follows on to the finale of Season Eight and because I am trying to convince myself that Ros didn't die, I wrote this. So, please review and remember that this is my first attempt at a Spooks Fanfiction. Also, I no longer have a beta reader so any mistakes, I apologise for.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. *sniff*

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Not This Time

Lucas hit the ground with a thwack, pain shooting up his spine. He blinked fiercely and shook his head before he remembered what had happened and what was still happening. He'd got the Pakistani President out, he was safe. But Ros… Ros and the Home Secretary had still been inside when the place had exploded. And they were still inside now.

Lucas rolled onto his feet, swaying slightly and cringing as pain ricocheted around his body. Hell, was he going to hurt tomorrow.

He looked up at the building, his eyes taking in the facts and leaving behind the emotions. The fifth and sixth floors were burnt out, roasting in flames and choking on smoke. The fourth floor was little better, the shell of the walls and the structure was still there but the glass had been blasted out of the window frames. It was already coughing out smoke.

For the first time, Lucas noticed the ringing in his ears. After effects of the explosion. But underneath that layer of fuzziness, he could make out screaming and the stamping of panicked feet. Looking around, he saw people rushing around, camera crews and journalists were jostling each other, trying to get a good vantage point and find the right person to question.

Lucas rubbed his forehead, trying to think. He should find Harry. Yeah, he should but he was already wasting time. He should find Ros. He had to have hope that she was still alive.

So, without further thought, he sprang into a run and pelted towards the burning building. He forced his way through the front doors and dashed for the staircase. Taking them three at a time, he allowed the adrenaline to dictate his actions. He had to find Ros.

"Ros?!" his voice echoed through the stairwell.

By the time Lucas reached the fourth floor, the stairs had almost become rubble. He burst into the corridor.

"Ros?"

Dust fell from the ceiling and he watched as it sprinkled the debris that littered the ground. Slabs of concrete had caved in from the ceiling and were strewn erratically across the now dusty carpet. Lucas was about to turn away but then out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something moving.

"Ros?" Lucas took a few careful steps forward.

Something or someone was curled against the wall, being crushed by a ragged section of the ceiling. The thing or person was shivering.

"Ros?" Lucas repeated as he stepped forward and heaved away the slab of concrete.

Ros was curled there, her thin body doing its best to shield the Home Secretary from the force of the explosion. A closer look revealed that the man was breathing but seemed to be unconscious.

But Ros was covered in blood, her clothes soaked through and her hair sticking to her neck.

"Ros!"

She lifted her head slowly and Lucas immediately noticed that her eyes were glazed. Her hands were grazed and covered in blood and gravel.

"Lucas?" her voice was shaky.

"Yeah." Lucas crouched down next to her, his hand ghosting her arm. "I'm going to call Harry. Get some paramedics up here." Before Ros could argue, not that she seemed alert enough to do so, Lucas pulled out his phone and dialled Harry.

"Lucas?" Harry answered on the first ring of the dial tone.

"I've got Ros and the Home Secretary. I need paramedics on the fourth floor now."

"They're alive?" Harry asked.

"Yeah." Lucas replied and hung up. He turned back to Ros who had propped herself up against the wall, her eyes closed and her breathing heavy.

Lucas took the opportunity to take a decent look at her. Help was on the way. There was nothing else he could do now but wait.

Ros looked battered all over and he couldn't tell what was broken or what wasn't. She looked dazed and from the deep gash on the side of her head, Lucas would guess that she was concussed. Blood was leaking into her eyes.

"Is the Home Secretary alright?" she asked, swallowing thickly.

"He's breathing. And he looks okay. You protected him." Lucas spared Andrew Lawrence a glance before turning back to Ros.

"What about the Pakistani President?" she questioned.

"He's out, issuing a statement that he's releasing the Indian submarine." Lucas informed her. "Ros?"

"I'm fine, Lucas." Ros opened her eyes to glare weakly at him.

"You don't have to act like a bloody martyr all the time you know." He warned her.

"I'm fine." Ros's glare strengthened but then she closed her eyes, fighting back the pain that was intent on covering her face.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Lucas turned his head back to the stairwell. He'd heard footsteps. And voices. Shifting almost silently, he moved his body in front of Ros's and the Home Secretary's. He was fairly certain that it would be paramedics but he wasn't going to take chances. It could be someone from Nightingale coming back to check that they had done what they'd intended to do.

But he was right. A second later, four paramedics turned into the corridor, carrying two stretchers and two medical bags between them. Lucas moved away from Ros so that the paramedics could see to her and the Home Secretary.

***

Lucas walked slowly out of the burnt out building to see Harry and Ruth standing just behind the police line. Harry was talking seriously and Ruth seemed to be paying attention but her eyes kept flicking towards the doors, as if checking to see whether Lucas or Ros were exiting.

When she saw Lucas, she touched Harry's arm and motioned towards him. Harry looked up and he met Lucas's gaze. He didn't say anything until Lucas joined the pair of them.

"How are they?"

"The Home Secretary's going to be alright. He was unconscious but breathing. He looked fine. Ros's body pretty much blocked him from the blast." Lucas told them. He suddenly felt very heavy. And tired. He assumed it was adrenaline running out.

"And Ros?" Ruth asked.

"She not in such good shape. The paramedics think she's got some broken ribs, a few major lacerations and a pretty severe concussion. She was conscious but dazed. They're taking both of them to the hospital."

"Oh god." Ruth murmured.

"Let's go. We'll meet them at the hospital." Harry decided and turning, led the pair back to the waiting car.

***

Three hours later, Ruth, Lucas and Harry stood in the hospital's waiting room. The Home Secretary had just been cleared to leave and he was adamant about talking to Harry before he left.

"Would you thank Ros on my behalf when you see her? I'm afraid they haven't allowed me in to do it personally." He said, straightening his tie.

Harry smiled briefly. "Of course."

"And make sure you give her a decent pay rise. Or she'll be replacing you." Andrew Lawrence replied, remembering the joke he had carried with Ros.

"You don't have to worry about that, Home Secretary." Harry smiled.

The conversation began to dwindle and soon the Home Secretary had left, leaving the remains of Section D standing, waiting for the news on Ros.

***

A further hour later, a nurse entered the waiting room. She smiled tentatively at them. "Ros Myers?"

"Yes," Harry answered for the three of them.

"Well, she had broken eight ribs which have been reset. She fractured the tibia in her right leg and the patella in her left. There were a couple of deep lacerations to her body, all of which needed stitches. She sustained a severe concussion and is currently being monitored to gather the effects." The nurse read off her clipboard.

"How is she?" Ruth asked quietly.

"At the moment, she's sedated to keep her from hurting herself further and she'll be kept under observation for a week or so, just to be sure."

"Thank you." Harry said sincerely.

"As I said, she'd sedated so she shouldn't have any visitors tonight."

Lucas nodded slowly and the three turned to leave.

***

A month and a half later, Ros stepped into the pods. After a second she was let in and she found herself facing the bit of her life that she had missed the most whilst she had been recovering. During her time off, she had had to rest and let her fractured legs repair. Harry and Lucas had even been over a couple of times to make sure that she was doing so.

Entering the Grid, Ros immediately made her way over to Harry's office. She knocked briskly and then let herself in.

"Good morning."

Harry looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Good morning, Ros. You're in early."

"Andrew Lawrence wanted to see me. Any idea why?" Ros raised an eyebrow in return.

"He probably wants to thank you again for saving his life and the relationship between the Pakistanis and the Indians." Harry smiled dryly.

Ros laughed under her breath. Andrew Lawrence had already thanked her twice. "Ah, well. There was me thinking it might be something exciting."

Harry laughed and as Ros turned to leave, he stopped her. "Ros?"

"Yes, Harry?" she glanced back over her shoulder.

"It's good to have you back."


End file.
